MOUNT VERNON — Clad in a pink jumpsuit, Lawrence Timmons appeared in a Lawrence County courtroom before Judge Jack Goodman early Tuesday to hear a formal reading of charges following a Lawrence County grand jury indictment.

Charges include first-degree murder in the 1988 death of Aurora resident Cynthia A. Smith and six charges of unlawful possession of a firearm — an M1 rifle, prosecutor Matthew Kasper said — for incidents alleged to have taken place in 2017 and 2019.

Timmons also faces a charge of forgery on a job application he allegedly filled out in February 2019 — a second forgery charge for Timmons, who was arrested Aug. 19 at his Pierce City home on suspicion of filling out a job application in March with false information about his status as a convicted felon.

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Lawrence Timmons, left, in a 2019 booking photo, and right in a 2007 photo.(Photo: News-Leader photo illustration)

The arraignment featured little discussion of any evidence of crimes prosecutors say Timmons committed. Judge Goodman said that under Missouri law, Timmons could face an extended term of imprisonment — three to 10 years — if convicted on the forgery and unlawful firearm possession charges due to his prior felony convictions for a 1976 kidnapping and assault that took place in Springfield.

If convicted of murder in Smith's 1988 death, Timmons could face the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, Goodman said.

Goodman entered not-guilty pleas on Timmons' behalf because Timmons is not represented by a defense attorney.

After his arrest in August, Timmons applied for a public defender but was denied. A court official told the judge Tuesday that Timmons has more than $250,000 in assets and was thus not eligible for indigent defense help.

"Well, I know I don't have assets anywhere near $250,000," Timmons told the judge.